2022
Wishing all the Muslim Local Guides "A Very Happy New Year"
For many people, the New Year begins on January 1 and is fixed on that date in the calendar. But it's not the same for all cultures.
Islamic New Year, also called Hijri New Year or Arabic New Year, is the start of the Islamic calendar year. It's the first day of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar. This is the often called the month of remembrance and is the holiest month after Ramadan. Sometimes the New Year itself is referred to as Muharram too.
The calendar began in 622 AD, the year the prophet Muhammad migrated from Mecca to Medina (then called Yathrib). This journey is known as the Hijrah. Muslim parents often tell their children that the start of the New Year was when Muhammad escaped from Mecca after being warned of an assassination plot. We are heading into year 1439 for Muslim worshippers.
Islamic New Year is much less of an event than the two major Eid festivals held each year: Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha.
How is it worked out?
The Islamic calendar is based on sightings of the first crescent of the new moon at Mecca in Saudi Arabia. But these days the Saudi government uses astronomical charts to work out the calendar in advance, rather than hope for a reliable observation of the moon. Saudi officials started the calendar to end confusion caused by inaccurate moon sightings, and so it could plan ahead for civic events.
The data for the calendar comes from the Institute of Astronomical & Geophysical Research of the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology in Riyadh. More than half of the amateur sightings reported in the past are thought to have been wrong. Some Muslim organisations in other countries - such as the Islamic Society of North America - follow this calculated calendar as well.
So when is Islamic New Year 2017?
Days go from sunset to sunset in the Muslim calendar. Islamic New Year 2017 is expected to begin at sunset on Thursday, September 21, and end at sunset on Friday, September 22. That's the date on the Saudi astronomical calendar. But for those Muslims basing their calendar on a sighting, they won't decide the exact date until shortly beforehand.
If the new moon is spotted on the 29th day of the existing month, the next day is decreed to be the start of the next month - and in this case, the New Year. If the new moon isn't seen, then the month goes on for another day before the next month begins.
What happens at Islamic New Year? What and when is the Day of Ashura?
As this is the start of the 'month of remembrance', there are solemn and commemorative events rather than joyful celebrations. The 10th day of Muharram is known as the Day of Ashura. For Shia Muslims, this commemorates the death of Muhammad's grandson Imam Husayn ibn Ali - and some of his family and companions - at the Battle of Karbala.
As part of that, many Muslims take part in an act of mourning called matam. This involves men gathering in large groups on the streets for ceremonial chest beating using their hands - or sometimes even using a metal chain with blades fixed to it. The latter method has been banned in Iran and Lebanon but is still practised in India and Bangladesh. Some places of worship offer free meals from the 9th to the 11th days of the new month.
In addition, some Muslims make a pilgrimage to the Imam Husayn Shrine, at the burial site of Imam Husayn ibn Ali. Other rituals include Tatbir, an act of mourning by Shia Muslims that involves hitting themselves on the head with a sword, or on the back or chest with blades on chains.
There is also Tazieh, in which groups of performers re-enact the Battle of Karbala. These can be seen in rural areas of Iran. The term is also used for miniature replicas of the mausoleums of Karbala, made of bamboo and paper and carried in processions in South Asia and the Caribbean. Other acts of mourning include Shia lamentations by reading poems called noha, as well as public recitations from the book Rawdat al-Shuhada (Garden of the Martyrs) that tells the tale of the tragedy at Karbala. Sunni Muslims mark the 10th day because when Mohammad was exiled to Medina, he wanted to show respect to Moses and solidarity with the Jews. The Jews of Medina fasted on the 10th to mark the miracle of the Nile parting for Moses. So Muhammad and his early followers fasted on the 9th/10th or 10th/11th to set themselves apart from the Jews yet commemorate the common religious significance of the 10th.
Is Islamic New Year a public holiday?
Islamic New Year is only a public holiday in Muslim-majority countries including the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Indonesia and Malaysia. But in other countries, Muslim businesses often close for the day to mark the occasion.
The above text is from Birminghammail by David Bentley (Click to see the full article on the link)
A very Happy Islamic new year bro. @Badruddeen @MahabubMunna @OSAMA
🎉🎉🎁🎁🎊🎊💐💐💐💐🎉🎉🎉
Every New Year gives you the perfect chance to start something new and fresh in your life dear. Happy New year...
Hi @Badruddeen, Happy new Lunar Hijri year to you, As you know our main calendar in Iran is Persian calendar but also as most of Iranians are Muslims, we have lots of ceremonies because of the mourning for shahadat (martyrdom) of Imam Hossein. Like Ta'zieh which has been registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage by reference number 377.
As you mentioned chest beating by using hands or sometimes a normal soft metal chain is another custom in Iran but it is not banned completely. What has been banned and is illegal in Iran is self-harming during these customs and ceremonies for example using things like blades as you noted.
Wish the bests for you in new Lunar Hijri year
